NANA BARIMA EKOW GYESA vs. BANK OF GHANA AND NANA KWO GYANTEH IV [2022]DLHC11641

Date	2022-02-18
Suit No.	SUIT: NO. E1/88/18
Citation No.	[2022]DLHC11641

HIS LORDSHIP DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.

PATRICK JUSTICE ANIM ESQ. FOR FRANK DAVIES ESQ. FOR 1ST DEFENDANT

NANA E.A. KONDUA ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF

[2022]DLHC11641
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NANA BARIMA
EKOW GYESA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BANK OF GHANA AND
NANA KWO GYANTEH IV<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT,
SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">SUIT:
NO. E1/88/18&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE:
18TH FEBRUARY 2022<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>PATRICK JUSTICE
ANIM ESQ. FOR FRANK DAVIES ESQ. FOR 1ST DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">NANA
E.A. KONDUA ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP DR.
RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;On
27th January, 2022 when the Plaintiff’s representative mounted the
witness box and indicated to the court that he is relying on his witness
statement as his evidence in chief, counsel for the 1st Defendant
objected to the admissibility of the said witness statement.<o:p></o:p>The
basis of his objection was the fact that the document is labelled Further
Amended Witness Statement. It is counsel’s case that a witness statement cannot
be amended. That a witness statement is not a pleading for which Order 16 of
the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (CI 47) is applicable. Order 16
governs the amendment of pleadings.<o:p></o:p>Counsel
submitted that the Further Amended Witness statement of Emmanuel Tweneboah
filed on 29/10/21 sins against the rules of evidence and therefore same cannot
be adopted by the court.<o:p></o:p>Counsel
for the Plaintiff in his response, submitted that the objection is frivolous,
vexatious and unmeritorious. Counsel intimated that merely filing a witness
statement does not mean that it has been adopted as the evidence of the party.
He submitted that the court granted them leave to amend so the objection is
dead on arrival.<o:p></o:p>The
enactment of the High Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) Rules, 2014 (CI 87)
has modified our civil procedure rules. It has among other changes introduced
the requirement to serve witness statements for use at trial as part of the
pretrial protocols.<o:p></o:p>Rule
3B of Order 38 as inserted by CI 87 provides:<o:p></o:p>3B. (1) A witness statement
is a written statement signed by a person which contains the evidence which
that person would be allowed to give orally at the trial. <o:p></o:p>(2) The Court shall at the
application for directions order a party to file and serve on the other parties
any witness statement of the oral evidence which the party serving the
statement intends to rely on in relation to any issues of fact to be decided on
at the trial. <o:p></o:p>(3) The Court may give
directions at the application for directions as to the order in which a witness
statement is to be served. <o:p></o:p>The
question is: can a witness statement be amended as part of the pretrial
protocol?<o:p></o:p>The
law dictionary at thelawdictionary.org defines amendment as follows:<o:p></o:p>“In practice. The correction
of an error committed in any process, pleading, or proceeding at law, or in
equity, and which is done either of course, or by the consent of parties, or
upon motion to the court in which the proceeding is pending. 3 Bl. Comm. 407,
408; 44S; 1 Tidd, Pr. 696. Hardin v. Boyd, 113 U. S. 756, 5 Sup. Ct 771, 2S L.
Ed1141. Any writing made or proposed as an improvement of some principal
writing. In legislation. A modification or alteration proposed to be made in a
bill on its passage, or an enacted law; also such modification or change when
made. Brake v. Callison (C. C.)122 Fed. 722.”<o:p></o:p>Writing
on the subject of Amendment of witness statements, the learned editors of the
White Book, 1995 stated at paragraph 38/2A/9 as follows:<o:p></o:p>“38/2A/9 Amendment of
witnesses’ statements-The written statement of a witness served pursuant to the
direction of the Court under paragraph (2) constitutes a “document” in the
proceedings, and falls within the amending power of the Court under O. 20,
r.8(1). The amending power is likely to be exercised only in exceptional
circumstances …”<o:p></o:p>Unlike
amendment of pleadings, no direct provision has been made for amendment of
witness statements in our civil procedure rules. However, insofar as a witness
statement forms part of a court process same can be modified to correct errors,
make additions or subtractions from what is in the origi</main>